SCAMP Sailboat

Our own youthful dreams often featured small boats in starring roles. Aboard these simple, stalwart little vessels we'd venture across nebulous bodies of water in search of distant wild shorelines or uncharted islands. We'd land, hike into the interior, and make camp. But always our boats offered refuge from any threat, including summer storms, which we'd wait out beneath our boom tents. At night we'd read sea stories by oil lantern and sleep under a blanket of stars.

Curiously, never once did these visions include negative images of wrestling with a heavy mast and complex rigging, fussing with a smelly, recalcitrant outboard, or being held off shore by our boat's draft. And even when we pictured the afternoon breeze kicking up whitecaps, never once did the vision include a chilly capsize.

It was the dream of returning to those simple pleasures that inspired thoughts of S.C.A.M.P. (Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project). That and a persistent desire to go over "there" - that place we often see but are unable to reach. It seems to happen on every cruise. Never mind that we're usually sailing the smallest boat around for miles, we always come upon some ultra-shallow lagoon or serpentine tidal stream that disappears into the reeds, trees and rushes. To get in there - to really commune with nature - a boat needs to be light, shallow and easily propelled - and preferably flat-bottomed in case we decide to stay right though the ebb. —SCA

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Here's the real-life story of a small sailboat called SCAMP. Regular SCA contributor and author, Richard "Dick" Herman chronicles the short but interesting history of this popular microcruiser. The 92-page text covers the entire evolution, from long ago daydreams to a growing fleet of wooden and production fiberglass boats. A must-have history for Scamp owners, builders and fans. *Copies signed by author.

This handmade glass ship was designed especially for Small Craft Advisor by Ships of Glass. Each ship is created from stained glass and curved sail panels are cut from recycled conventional beverage bottles. Proudly made in the USA.

The SCAMP foils kit includes precision cut rudder and centerboard pre-shaped in halves cut from 18MM Okoume plywood. Save a lot of time and effort with these beautifully shaped foil blanks. Shipping defaults to $50 but we will contact buyer to adjust if shipping is significantly higher or lower.

Our own youthful dreams often featured small boats in starring roles. Aboard these simple, stalwart little vessels we’d venture across nebulous bodies of water in search of distant wild shorelines or uncharted islands. We’d land, hike into the interior, and make camp. But always our boats offered refuge from any threat, including summer storms, which we’d wait out beneath our boom tents. At night we’d read sea stories by oil lantern and sleep under a blanket of stars.

Curiously, never once did these visions include negative images of wrestling with a heavy mast and complex rigging, fussing with a smelly, recalcitrant outboard, or being held off shore by our boat’s draft. And even when we pictured the afternoon breeze kicking up whitecaps, never once did the vision include a chilly capsize.

It was the dream of returning to those simple pleasures that inspired thoughts of SCAMP. That and a persistent desire to go over “there” —that place we often see but are unable to reach. It seems to happen on every cruise. Never mind that we’re usually sailing the smallest boat around for miles, we always come upon some ultra-shallow lagoon or serpentine tidal stream that disappears into the reeds, trees and rushes. To get in there—to really commune with nature—a boat needs to be light, shallow and easily propelled—and preferably flat-bottomed in case we decide to stay right though the ebb.

SCAMP features an offset centerboard, massive flotation from sealed seats and stowage cabin, a water ballast tank holding 173 pounds of water, an after cabin "veranda" that functions like a hard dodger, and a flat bottom and skegs for beaching.

PLANS: Complete plans now available on 7 24 x 36" sheets. 100-page "Building guide" with suggested steps included as PDF. Dozens of boats now under construction and documenting progress at the Small Craft Advisor message board and elsewhere online.

We're pleased to offer the highest quality precision CNC kit for the Scamp design. Kit includes all plywood components (planks, bottom, bulkheads, seats, cabin, decks, etc.). Many pieces include notches or scribe lines and numbering to aid construction process. The basic kit also includes a pre-cut building jig.

Kits use precision jigsaw puzzle joints instead of labor-intensive scarfs, and the planks' variable bevels are pre-beveled so that they match-up perfectly right out of the kit.

100 sq ft lugsail made exclusively by Neil Pryde Sails for SCAMP. This class sail is made from 5.5 oz. Challenge Sailcloth in a classic cream color. The sails come complete with three rows of reef points (photo of the prototype only shows two reefs), narrow panels, finger-style patches, tell-tales, the SCAMP lantern logo—even a labeled bag and sail ties. $699.00. • Click on the "Click to Enlarge" link under illustration at left to see several close-up photos of the sail • •••International customers please e-mail for shipping rates •••• Available in CREAM or TANBARK colors.